Ala Moana Bowls Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s get into it. For the next 16 days, we’re looking at Oahu’s south shore, but honestly, it’s a mixed bag. The biggest issue is the wind – we’ve got a persistent ENE trade blowing, and it’s gonna be strong for most of the run. That keeps the surface clean up at Ala Moana Bowls, because it’s cross-off, but the swell direction is a problem. The optimum here is from the SSE, and we’re getting a lot of easterly energy instead. That means the wave quality is gonna be more marginal than magic.

The best bet on offer is a short window on the morning of Tuesday, July 28th. We’ve got a solid 7ft to 8ft easterly swell rolling in, with a combined energy of 1820 to 2120. That’s a serious amount of energy in the water (1820-2120). The wind is a clean 16 mph cross-off, so the surface will look good. But, the swell direction is E, not the ideal SSE, so it’s going to be a bit wonky and more of a challenge. At 7ft, it’s not beginner waves, but it’s not enormous either. For the experienced guys, there could be a few barrels on the inside reef, but it’s not gonna be the classic Ala Moana.

The water temp is about average for the time of year, so no wetsuit needed.

The rest of the week is a write-off. Wednesday the 29th sees a tiny 2ft S swell with a cross-on wind, and the score is poor. Thursday the 30th morning has a short-period 5ft E swell, but the wind is up. By Friday the 31st, the trades are cranking at 25 mph. While the surface is clean, the swell is a short-period 6ft to 7ft, and it’s just not the right direction. The wave energy is high (807-1060), but it’s not going to be surfable quality.

The first weekend of August is a no-go. Trades are howling at 25-31 mph, swell is 8ft, but it’s short-period, peaky, and messy. At 8ft with that wind, it’s an expert-only zone, and even then, it’s not going to be good. The wave energy is massive (1253-1314), but that’s just brute force, not rideable waves.

The following week, from the 4th to the 9th of August, is more of the same. Strong trades, 5ft to 8ft short-period easterly swell. The combined energy stays in the high hundreds to low thousands, but the quality is consistently poor. The wind is clean, but the swell direction is wrong for the break. It’s a grind.

By the 10th of August, the swell drops right off. We’re down to 3ft to 4ft from the SSW, but the trades are still blowing 19-25 mph. The energy drops to the 400-700 range, and the conditions are listed as poor. There’s just nothing to get excited about in the second week.

Honestly, if you’ve got to paddle out, Tuesday morning, July 28th is your only real shot. It’s not a classic, but it’s the best of a bad bunch. The rest of the 16 days looks like a kite-surfing park more than a surf break. The forecast can change, but right now, it’s a long wait for a decent wave.

Rusty.

Read more